Church planning takes on a variety of meanings in various settings. For instance let’s say there is a new event a church is going to undertake. In some churches the pastor would make the decision and call the person(s) he feels would “get the job done.” He would explain his thoughts and desires for the event to this key person(s). Then he may or may not be heavily involved in the planning stages.

The amount of detail that goes into the planning depends on two key factors: who is leading the planning process, and how many are on the developing team. Now, it is not actually the “who” is leading as much as the personality and character of the event planning leader.  If she is an analytical, details oriented person, then the planning will take on a detailed process. On the other hand if the leader charged with planning the event is a more driven, “get the job done” type of leader, he will likely not be into details as much and continually push to move the planning and development process forward.

It is good to have both of these personality types on a planning team, be it an event, ministry, or the future of the church (or other organization). The driven personality will help keep the planning from stalling out. The detailed person will be sure the team is thorough in its planning process. The measure in which the leader involves others in the planning and development process will also have a great impact on the depth of planning and the outcome of success at the event.

While some form of planning is required for all events, ministry, and future predictions many churches do not have strategic planning as part of their DNA. Strategic planning requires tactical, calculated, and deliberate researching and consideration of all factors that could come into play. For example: planning an outdoor event in September in the central coast region of California does not require a lot of consideration for rain. It does not rain in that region in June through September. However, planning the same event in the Midwest would require this rain consideration and an alternate plan because rain is likely in any given month. In California you might want to plan for adequate shade, not necessarily for rain.

The weather is only one factor to be considered for planning such an event. What else would you need to consideration for the planning process? The analytical personality will likely list at least ten areas to consider while the driven personality might come up with three or four. These may be the three to four that are most predominant; however they may not be all inclusive of what is needed to execute a successful ministry event. How many times have you been in a discussion meeting (or series of meetings) and after most of the planning is complete someone (normally the preschool director) asks, “What about childcare?”  There are always ramifications for areas of consideration missed by the planning team.

Whatever you are tasked to lead in planning and developing for your church be certain to be a strategic planning leader. Certainly be open to researching all areas.

Be tactical – showing skillful planning for success

Calculated – consider a situation carefully and consider what is likely to and what could happen

Deliberate – carefully thought out with intentionality

Happy Planning – Happy Strategic Planning!

For more information on strategic planning and implementation contact George L. Yates and visit the SonC.A.R.E. Ministries website.

 Lead – to show the way by going in advance; to guide or direct in a course; to guide the action or opinion of.

If I asked one of you to leave this room and make your way in and out of two other rooms in this building (your choice of rooms) and reenter this room from a different door and stated this is your leader, could you then follow in his footsteps while he remained in this room and gave you no indication of his journey? No, you could not, could you?

Did your “leader” follow one of these definitions?

1. To show the way by going in advance.
2. To guide or direct in a course.
3. To guide the action or opinion of.

What could have made him a leader? How could this exercise have been changed to enable him to be your leader as described in each of the definitions?

1. Allow him to encourage you to follow closely behind him.
2. Allow him to give you directions in taking the journey or to draw you a map.
3. To go along with you on your journey, encouraging you at every turn.

Why did Peter desire to walk on the water? Because his leader, whom he trusted, was walking on the water. Where in Matthew 14:22-33 do we see Jesus demonstrating these three definitions of leadership?

Going in advance is leading by example. Leading by example is, I believe, one of the most important characteristics of a good leader. Jesus led by example. Where else do we read about Jesus leading by example? Think on this for a moment and name two others.

How do you as a church leader lead by example? …Everything you do you are setting an example.

The more we read and study the ministry years of Christ we see that Jesus’ teachings and His lifestyle demonstrated leadership of the heart. Even at age twelve he says, “…I must be about my Father’s business.” He repeatedly makes similar statements throughout His ministry years.

Leading by example, Jesus shows us that to be a truly great leader we not only need to lead by example, but our example is to be that of a servant. A kingdom leader is a servant leader. Where is one place in scripture where Jesus demonstrates and teaches of being a servant leader? (John 13:1-17 Jesus washing the feet of His Disciples).

“I have set for you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:15

Why is it important to be a servant leader and lead by example?

We call these characteristics because being a servant leader and leading by example are traits of a person’s character. You see, character is formed on the inside. It starts in the heart and blossoms outward.

To be an effective kingdom leader requires a change of the heart. As seen in Matthew 20:20-28 the hearts of the disciples needed a change and in verse 26 Jesus is once again teaching about becoming a servant leader.

When did the disciples experience a change of heart?

Character grows and flows from the inside out.

Becoming a kingdom leader is a process that starts on the inside with who we are, our character. Kingdom leadership is not a position earned or granted by an authoritative body or person. Kingdom leadership is an outward expression of the godly beliefs held within our heart and directed by the Holy Spirit.

For more information on Characteristics of Christlike Leadership or this conference contact George L. Yates and visit soncare.net .

Formulating good thought-provoking questions may take some practice, but it will be well worth the investment of your time and effort. Regardless of the information, facts, or statements you are reviewing, ask yourself, “How can this information (facts or statement) be used to create higher order thinking in our next meeting?” That, in fact, is a good example of the type questions you want to develop. It is certainly an open-ended question. There is no simple, one way only, answer. You can come at it from different angles and perspectives. The question causes you to think and to look into the material being addressed from different approaches.

A good open ended question will promote higher order thinking (deep thinking) from everyone in the room; causing people to look at the information or issue from different viewpoints and approaches. Never ask a question you do not want someone else to answer. In other words never answer your own question and do not ask a question and move on without giving an opportunity to field responses from others in the room. Their responses may provide the needed learning for others in the room as well as their own. Sometimes, you may need to re-ask your question or change the wording to give better clarification.

Using How, What, and Where questions are possibly easiest to formulate for good thought promoting discussion. Using Why to begin a question perhaps requires the most precaution. “Why” questions often lead to responses allowing to people to live in the past, to pass blame, and respond defensively. This type of question is generally not productive and can produce a negative atmosphere. Example: Why do you think your church is in the situation it is today? Certainly, How, What, and Where questions could just as easily be posed leading to negative responses. Why questions though are easiest to turn on the defensive nature in people.

Instead of dealing in the past and the negative, find the positive or objective of the issue by looking to the future. Example: instead of, “Why do you think your church is in the situation it is today?” you want to ask, “In your opinion, what will a brighter future beyond this situation look like for your church?” This question causes everyone to think. Not about the past or negative issues, but about a brighter, positive future. As different people respond everyone in attendance is processing the information shared. In addition people’s thoughts will not be on issues of the past, but on ideas of how to avoid those issues.

For more information on formulating good thought provoking questions contact George L. Yates and visit soncare.net.

Part two

“Asking questions for data will yield analysis, reasons, rationale, and explanation. Asking questions out of curiosity will yield deeper – often more authentic  – information about feelings and motivation.” ⁽Co-Active Coaching, Davies-black Publishing pg. 74)

Effective questions have people looking not only with the mind but with heart, soul, character, and nature. Leading and teaching for life-change is not about asking questions for intellect, but searching the very fiber, and makeup of a person’s being. Good and effective questions challenge behavior patterns and belief systems.

Effective open-ended questions challenge a person to look with a new set of eyes into the deepest corners of his/her being.

No one likes to be told, but everyone likes to be asked. Everyone loves to give their opinion. The power of an effective question lies at the foundation of discovery learning.

In Teaching That Bears Fruit I used the term “Higher Order thinking” to express the thought processes needed to be engaged to produce life-changing learning. In other words if you desire to do more than dispense information (knowledge, facts, and figures) you must engage your listener’s higher order thought processes. You can be a knowledge dispenser and give great history lessons, facts and figures. But at best you will only be creating in your learners, trivia enthusiasts.

In many educational settings the type of question used is one that does not require the listener to do more than reach for surface (static) knowledge. I deem surface knowledge as information, facts and figures. Which of the following two questions relies on surface knowledge and which one engages the higher order thought processes?

1) Who was the first president of the United States?

2) In your opinion what led to George Washington becoming the first president of the United States.

The first question leads to one specific answer and does not require the listener to move beyond stating the fact (surface knowledge). Once someone calls out the answer, everyone’s thinking is shut down. The second question however, requires each person in the room to evaluate the question from his/her own perspective and knowledge base. The higher order thought processes of every person are engaged. Not everyone will respond verbally, but you can be assured all are processing the information being shared.

For more information on formulating good questions contact George Yates at SonC.A.R.E. Ministries or pick up your copy of Teaching That Bears Fruit.

Part one:

One of the interesting features of a question is that it automatically causes us to start seeking. The very word itself “question” is a directive stating an act or instance of search, seeking, or inquiring. Technically it could be considered a double directive. The meaning of the suffix ‘ion’ is action or process and the root word ‘quest’ is defined as an act or instance of seeking or inquiring. So there is no way around the fact that a question causes us to act, opening a search for discovering an answer.

When we are posed with a question our mind automatically changes gear. Your mind will immediately refocus and begin researching your knowledge base for related information. Example: What are your plans for Tuesday? Your mind automatically shifted into thinking of the things you know you will be engaged in this coming week. For most people it would have begun on a wider scale and began narrowing down to Tuesday. The mind is so superbly designed that this task would’ve been completed in a matter of seconds.

The use of proper questions will engage our God-given natural learning ability of Discovery. In my opinion, there is no greater avenue of learning than discovery. Think of Peter walking on water. No doubt this was one of his greatest learning experiences in all of his life. Jesus used discovery learning often. Discovery learning embeds the truth of the experience quicker and deeper than any other method or means of attempted learning.

Questions raise the curiosity factor in us. The curiosity behind a question allows the listener to explore and discover. Properly designed questions open the mind to explore the depths of belief and knowledge. Example: What has been the greatest benefit to your spiritual walk? (Opposed to: Have you grown in your spirituality?) Properly worded questions cause every person in the room to delve into his/her personal belief and knowledge base for an answer. It is the exploration that creates discovery learning.

The curiosity behind questions enables exploration, reflection, detection, unearthing, and resourcing all that we know and believe, even to our core values.

Proper questioning does not involve interrogation.

Questions should be asked not so much from the point of “an expert” but for the benefit of discovery on behalf of the learner. Design your questions not from the point of an expert. Instead, form your questions out of curiosity; curiosity for the assistance of the listener’s discovery of truth and application in his/her life.

Questions formed from a curiosity perspective assist the listener to tap into deeper sources of information. Questions formed otherwise can cause the listener to seek only surface information. Example: (surface) “Who is the son of God?” (better)  “What does the term Son of God mean to you?” The first question is a closed ended question requiring only surface or static knowledge. The second question however, causes everyone to search his/her knowledge and belief system for an answer. The first question shuts down the learning capacities as soon as one person answers. The second one challenges each person to explore and reflect on his/her belief system.

For more information about effectively using questions contact George Yates at SonC.A.R.E. Ministries, purchase a copy of Teaching That Bears Fruit, and follow this blog for more related posts.

Jumping into Lake Michigan on January 1st is, I’m sure, a very cold, brutal, and painful experience. However, there are scores of people who do it every January. Willingly diving into a vigorous face-to-face summit with reality is a similar experience. You are going to get hit abruptly with the cold, hard, brutal wave of reality. But it is necessary if you truly desire to see the reverse of decline in your church.

Go ahead. Jump in. God is waiting with a warm towel to wrap around you and move with you to the next level. A vigorous face to face summit with reality will put you on the road to reaching the summit of your ministry calling.

Unearthing these realities as described in the previous chapter is only the beginning. Church leaders must recognize the need for change—change for the better—the need for improvement.

One major objective for each of us in all aspects of life is improvement. We are incessantly seeking to improve some feature or component of life, be it physical, intellectual, or spiritual. When we discover certain truths of undesirable development (such as decline in the church), we have two choices: ignore it and let things continue in the direction they are headed or seek and develop strategic plans for improvement. The first choice is like sticking our heads in the sand. The second response usually requires a change of course, and this often goes against our nature. We are creatures of habit, not of change.

Seeing how things truly are in your ministry from an objective perspective can be a harsh reality check for a church. Indeed, the further a church has slumped into decline, the more harsh the reality may be. Without the realization of the brutal facts, the church may never resolve to truly attempt to reverse the trends of decline.

When the reality of your situation is presented to and realized by the church, it is important that you identify with the necessity of the situation. Identifying the situation is not where the struggle begins. The battle to turn around begins only when we identify with the necessity of the situation.

The biblical book of Nehemiah renders a great study on the elements of this chapter. Nehemiah identified with the needs of the city of Jerusalem. He felt compassion for the people living there, for the rich heritage of the City of David (Jerusalem), and for the God he and his forefathers   served. If Nehemiah had not identified with the needs of the city of his fathers, a city that he probably had never seen or visited, the book of Nehemiah would never have been written. Nehemiah would never have left the comforts of the king’s palace. Jerusalem would have remained in ruins until God raised up another leader.

Verse four of chapter one of the book of Nehemiah says, “I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.” When you read this passage in Nehemiah, do you think of how long it has been since you wept and fasted over broken down walls? It has been said that one will never rebuild until he or she comes to the point of weeping over the ruins.

Be brave. Be bold. Be broken-hearted and obedient. Serve God as He leads. He will deliver and cause the rebuilding of your church.

For more information on Identifying with the Necessity of the Situation and reversing declining trends in your church, contact George Yates and SonC.A.R.E. Ministries.

part two

Before you can reverse declining trends in your church (or other organization) you must first realize the need for reversal and understand the reality of your situation – the brutal reality of where your organization is indeed. We live life in a bias and we see our current reality through rose colored glasses or in a bias. It is difficult for us to desire to see the true unpleasantness of any situation. We tend to focus on the pleasantries of our situation. Thus we remain in a comfort zone. Our natural inclination is to avoid circumstances that may stretch us beyond where we are comfortable.

Jim Collins in Good to Great states that it is impossible to make a series of good decisions without first confronting the brutal facts of your situation. In other words, before you can truly begin making decisions that will assist in reversing declining trends in your church, you must first have a Vigorous Face to Face Summit with the reality of your situation. This is one of the main focus points of the Reaching the Summit resources.

Some of the things you will look at in your vigorous face to face summit with reality include historical data, behavioral patterns, church trends, church character traits, core values, inclusion, and community assessment. Just as every person has behavior patterns so every church has behavior patterns. The same is true with character traits and core values. Everything we do is an outward manifestation of an inner belief (core value). If we do not hold something as a core value we will not act on it. It cannot become a behavior pattern for me to share my conversion story with others if it is not a core conviction.

A vigorous face to face summit with reality will reveal deep and noble as well as ignoble things about your ministry and your church. Once you have examined your ministry in this fashion every decision you make should be predicated on the findings of your summit. From this point forward prior to making any decision you must qualify it by weighing each option against the findings of the vigorous face to face summit. Perhaps a finding in your summit is that your church has never attempted ministry to people who live to the right side of your driveway. Each decision now needs to carry the question, “Does this decision allow us to fulfill the Great Commission to those communities God placed to the right of our property?” If so, Go Right Young Man! If not, rethink. You cannot make a series of good decisions without first conducting a vigorous face to face summit with reality.

This is how you set the course for reversing decline in your church. For more information on conducting a vigorous face to face summit or reversing decline in the church, purchase a copy of Reaching the Summit or contact SonC.A.R.E. ministries.

One of the major ways to begin assessing the reality of your situation is to take a vigorous look at the truth. Most people do not like confrontation. However, confronting is a good term to use, because to reverse decline in your organization, you must be willing to meet head on the things that may be detrimental and causing decline. A vigorous look at all the truth of the reality of your ministry situation will be essential in reversing or avoiding decline.

With the phrase a vigorous face-to-face summit with reality we are speaking of a completely open and honest assessment—a vigorous face-to-face meeting with reality as the result of an intense investigation of who we are and how we arrived where we are today. It is my belief that a church cannot successfully and thoroughly conduct this assessment without the assistance of an objective experienced and qualified person from outside the church.

If you are serious about turning your church around or even avoiding decline, you should seek a church consultant and coach with experience in assisting churches in growth and reversing decline. Appendix 2 in Reaching the Summit is written as a help with choosing a consultant or coach for your church. You want someone on your turnaround team who does not have the biases that you and your church members have but has a passion to see the church thrive in building God’s kingdom.

For more information on conducting a Vigorous Face to Face Summit for your church or organization purchase a copy of Reaching the Summit: Avoiding and Reversing Decline in the Church or contact George Yates at SonC.A.R.E. Ministries.

In churches where growth is not evident pastors and leaders often tend to avoid or deny the reality of the situation. When looking at the historical data of the church we should look for more than numbers alone. One pastor serving in a phase four declining church wrote to me following an initial consultation visit, “I was concerned about the numbers emphasis in relation to being too quantitative to what God was doing. Plus, how do we measure spiritual maturity of a church?”

It is true, numbers alone do not quantify church health. I consider numbers to be a bi-product of healthy church growth. Using the 1-5-4- principle (with a twist) we will see four areas of results in the church. 1 -There is but one driving force in the church – The Great Commission. Everything we do should be hinged on fulfilling the Great Commission. 5 – When we employ the five functions of the church (Evangelism, Discipleship, Fellowship, Ministry, & worship) while carrying out the Great Commission, we will see four areas of results. 4 – Spiritual Maturity, Ministry Expansion, Missions Awareness, and Numerical Growth. When you use the 1&5 as standard principles of all your ministry, the areas of results will follow, and I believe numerical growth is a bi-product of the other areas.

We reference numbers because they provide physical evidence. Numbers are tangible verification to your members, followers, and seekers that something is happening. Numbers are evidence of process and progress, or lack of it. If you have the Great Commission as your one and only driving force and the five principle functions are in place in your ministry endeavors, the numbers being produced have validity in the spiritual maturation of your people.

We must understand the spiritual maturity level of any person, group, or church is not something that will necessarily show significant increase in three to six months. Spiritual maturity is a lifelong process for believers. What I see as our objective as leaders is to undergird and build upon the foundation that currently exists in our followers. We must lead by example. One of our great, God-given natural learning abilities is imitation. The two greatest approaches to learning used by infants and preschoolers is through self-discovery and imitation. Most adults are not prone to learn through self-discovery as it requires venturing into the world of our fears. Adults will however, follow someone’s example as will children and youth. Lead by example and teach as you lead. This produces kingdom results kingdom multipliers.

Numbers are important to us when viewed in the proper mindset. They can be very valuable assisting us in assessing the health of our situation.For more information on assessing with numbers or the 1-5-4 principle contact SonC.A.R.E. Ministries. More information on Self-Discovery learning and imitation can be found in Teaching That Bears Fruit.

In earlier posts we stated that many church leaders have a misunderstanding of the terms organizational health and the health of an organization. While both are closely intertwined in the church (or other organization) the attributes of health within a church will point to the organizational health of a church. In the church the financial cost of having an unhealthy organization is undeniable: wasted resources & time, decreased productivity, increased attrition, and less financial support. While these are all outward evidences of an unhealthy church, they are manifestations of needed organizational health within the church.

In our last article, Identifying Organizational Health in My Church, we focused on the leadership team (staff and key leaders) of the church. This is truly the hub and kingpin of organizational health. However, true organizational health occurs when a church’s leadership, staff, ministries, strategies, and congregational culture align with its purpose of fulfilling The Great Commission.

Most organizations, churches included, focus on intelligence rather than health of the organization. Looking only for intellectual answers though can be costly for any organization. The key ingredient for improvement and success is not knowledge or resources. The key ingredient is the health of the organizational environment (cultural environment inside the church).

According to Patrick Lencioni in The Advantage, “Often bad decisions or organizational failure is attributed to lack of intellect.” Yet in reality the real deficiency is not in intellect, but in the lack of organizational health. A healthy organization has checks and balances, principles and values in place to assist in making healthy decisions.

Reality demonstrates the stronger the organizational health of a church, the more it will be able to maximize the intelligence within for effective utilization. When organizational health is evident, leaders will grow together, learning from one another while clarity and focus for the entire church (as opposed to each one’s specialized ministry) will surface and become a prominent factor in moving the church forward towards its goal of fulfilling the Great Commission.

Creating and maintaining organizational health in your church will produce a healthier organization of the church and will be one of the most meaningful and rewarding endeavors you will ever pursue. While organizational health is not a replacement for spiritual health within a church, it certainly has the potential to produce a greater spiritual health and effectiveness of the church. For more information on Organizational health for your church contact SonC.A.R.E. Ministries.